Introduction

Over the past decades, Malaysia has undergone tremendous socio-economic changes which have had far-reaching consequences on the role and status of women in the country. As a result of these changes, women's participation in the economy, education and labour market has increased. However, women still receive much lower earnings than their male counterparts in the same occupation. It implies that economic development in Malaysia does not foster gender equality. Traditional attitudes about what jobs are suitable and proper for women and that men are the breadwinners of a family are deeply rooted in society. It will therefore take a long time for society to acknowledge the women's subordinate position and attempt to improve it.

In Sarawak, studies on earnings differences between men and women are rare and their results are often not readily available to the public and to women themselves. For this reason, we studied the employment status and earnings of women. This chapter discusses the status of women workers, with special reference to local migrant workers in the manufacturing sector of the Kuching urban labour market. More specifically, the study was designed to examine structures of employment, pattern of labour mobility and a comparison of the earnings of women and men.

Labour Mobility

Labour mobility, is one of the striking features of labour markets. A high degree of labour mobility is due to changes in the general economic conditions, levels of investment in human capital, wage rates, job options and family circumstances. These changes induce workers to change employers, occupations, geographical locations, or a combination of all three. As a result of labour mobility, workers move to the most attractive jobs to eliminate wage differential. The process continues until workers have no incentive to move. At that stage, labour market efficiency is assumed to have been achieved. Labour mobility, however, involves costs. A temporary loss of income can occur between the time one job is given up and a new one is obtained. Furthermore, when geographical mobility occurs, it involves direct moving costs such as transportation cost, psychic costs of leaving family and friends and the familiar job environment, and the loss of seniority and pension benefits.